The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-18

before trial; and, Notwithstanding the Of
forts of the Solicitor General and the court,
it was utterly impossible to get a conviction
against either. This was the case at three
different times, when the parties would cut
each other badly with knives After 1880
Bonner Barker was quiet, good citizen,
while John Smith continued his lswleSs
course. just one year before
he killed Barker, Smith mado
his plans to kill Robert Huckaba
of Carroll county. After his arrangements
had been completed, by getting another
party off hunting with Huckaba in the
woods, Smith made his appearance and fired
with shotgun, the whole load taking effect
in Huckaba's back and shoulders, Hucbaba
escaping by running. Huckaba recovered
and prosecuted Smith, but Smith, by the
efforts of his attorneys, managed
to continue his case, and before the next
term OF court Smith had got blood-thirsty
again and went to the house of Barker and
shot him down in the presence of Barker's
wife, and one negro, A. Smith and one
King, two of his chuns, were near by at
the time. They were both indicted, but the
cases were finally dismissed After the kill
ing, John Smith went to Alabama. He
stayed only one week and returned to his old
settlement, and there stayed in the woods
two weeks before he was arrested notwith-
standing $50 men were searching the whole
count of the severe cold weather and act
ing on the advice of his friends, he volun-
tarily surrendered thinking that his brother
A. Smith, and King would clear him, as
they saw the shooting and knew all the facts
Smith was a man who never forgot favor
nor did he ever forgive those who wronged
him or interfered with his plans. He was a
very quiet sort of fellow, and would not
| have been considered a troublesome or dan
p1
him. He always committed his crimes in q
quiet way. For long time he was con
nected with the revenue department, and
troubled a great many men in the Blue
Shin district, Heard county In that
way he got the ill-will of
the whole district He also Sue
ceeded in having a great many cases re-
moved from the State courts to the United
States court, where they were disposed of
without much trouble. The records in
Clehurne and Randolph counties, Ala, are
covered with his crimes, but the authorities
never succeeded in getting him to
trial except once, when the jury
promptly returned a verdict of guilty,
and the Sheriff was ordered by the court to
carry the defendant back to Jail. The
Sheriff started, holding Smith by the coat
sleeve, when Smith slipped out of his coat,
leaving the Sheriff to hold the coat. He
made his way to the woods
just east of Wedowee, being closely
pursued by the Sheriff and his
deputies Smith went up a tree and
there remained until night. lie then de-
cided to make his way back to Georgia. The
next morning he was safely at home He
evaded the officers of Randolph county,
Ala, and was never rearrested. Smith was
man of wonderful nerve. He left wife,
but no children.
1xcoR I IECiGPTr H1rNc.
JOHNsoN's STATION, GA, June From
all that can be learned at this hour, Leggett
was hung at Reidsvile to-day. A large
crowd thronged the streets, the people com
ing from distance of twenty miles or
more.
THE MURDERER AND RIS CRIME.
Leggett came to Tattnall county some
years ago with one Lille Grigdon, likely
looking mulatto woman He was quiet
fellow, and attended to his own business and
worked steadily. 1t was remarked that he
seemed to pay ''bis wife" SO called, great at
tention and to love her very much He was
very superstitious, and frequently remarked
that he was afraid of the voodous One day
an old negro came along who called himself
a voodou, or charmer, and they had some
words. The woman, too, was somewhat SUI
perstitious, and the words and threats of the
old negro alarmed her. Shortly after this
she left Leggett and went to live with a ne
gro named Dick Edwards Leggett acted
like one deranged at her sudden departure
Going to Edwards house he begged and i'm
plored her TO return to him, but in vain
All after this a change was remarked in
him. He seemed listless and stunned and
indifferent to his work.
THE FATAL MEETING.
On Sunday, Feb q, the day the crime
was committed, Leggett and some compan-
ions were on their way from Sunday school,
talking about one thing and another, when
the girl passed. In an instant Leggett
jumped toward her with q knife in his
hand and stabbed her five times in the back
and side and then ran His companions
chased him a short distance into the woods,
and seeing that there was no chance to
escape he gave himself up.
81 LOVED HER so"
When askedwhy he stabbed the gin he
said: II loved her So" The wounded
woman was removed to house near by,
where she had been living, and two weeks
later died. Leggett was confined in jail,
and the night after the woman died several
prisoners broke out. Among them was
Leggett. Instead of trying to escape he
went straight to the house where the dead
woman lay and fell across the bed upon
which the corpse was placed, uttering jar
gon which nobody could understand.
He placed his hand upon her face and
brow, and after looking at her intently for
some time started back TO the jail. His
trial came on in March. He was convicted
and sentenced to hang on May II. The
Governor respited him thirty days, the
reprieve being handed TO the Sheriff just as
he was about to launch Leggett into eternity.
During this interval Mr.. Clifton, his at
torney had exerted himself TO secure n
Communication of his sentence to life inn
prisonmont, but in vain, the Governor re-
fnsinp to inferfnre